Listening for the Harmony – Pastor Jade Yi

Isaiah 35:4-7a Like streams in the desert, God comes with healing

Psalm 146 I will praise the Lord as long as I live. (Ps. 146:2)

James 2:1-10 [11-13] 14-17 Faith without works is dead

Mark 7:24-37 Christ healing a little girl and a deaf man

Context   

The ministries we do together is like a piece of music. Last Sunday, I reminded us that together we play the most magnificent, harmonious music composed and directed by God. If we play it right, this music can bring the love, faith, joy, hope, and peace that God is so ready to give to all who haven’t experienced the life-giving power of God’s kingdom, and to those who have forgotten about or distanced themselves from God. 

我們一起做的事工就像一首音樂。上個主日，我提醒我們，一起來演奏由上帝創作和指揮的最壯麗、最和諧的音樂。如果我們演奏得當，這首音樂可以帶來愛、信心、喜樂、希望和平安，這些都是上帝準備好要賜給所有那些還沒有經歷過上帝國度所能賦予生命力量的人，以及那些已經忘記上帝或是已經遠離上帝的人。

Let us think ourselves as musicians for a moment. As musicians, we should make sure that our instruments are well-tuned. We are like the instruments built with Jesus’ teachings and shaped by his ministries. In music, ensemble tuning is crucial for achieving a harmonious sound. It involves adjusting the pitch of each instrument to ensure that they are in sync with each other.  It means we need to be good at practicing both playing and listening.  

讓我們暫時把自己想像成音樂家。作為彈奏樂器者，我們應該要確保我們的樂器有經過準確的調音。我們就像似樂器一樣，是用耶穌的教導製作成的，並藉著祂的事工將我們塑造出來。在音樂中，合奏的同步調音過程，對於達到一個和諧的音樂，是至關重要的。它涉及到調整每個樂器音的高低，以確保所有演奏的樂器都彼此同步同調。 這意味著我們，需要善於練習演奏和還有訓練我們的聽力。

I had a piano teacher who taught me for years. Then my mom changed my teacher. I still remember how I felt when I met my new teacher. In order to assess my skill and giftedness in music, he asked me to close my eyes and tell him what notes he was playing. I passed the first assessment. Then, he played a piece of music and asked me to tell the difference between a major key and a minor key. I barely survived through the first class. 

我有一位鋼琴老師，教了我許多年。後來我媽媽換了我的老師。我仍然記得見到新老師時的感受。為了評估我的音樂技能和天賦，他要我閉上眼睛，告訴他正在演奏的音符。我通過了第一個評估。然後，他演奏了一首樂曲，讓我區分大調和小調。我勉強熬過了第一堂課。

I knew how to play but never received any formal training on recognizing major and minor keys by ear. Major keys use a major scale, which have a bright and happy sound. Minor keys use a minor scale to produce a darker and sadder sound. Let us see how Jesus composes this piece of music in his time by utilizing both major and minor keys to tell the story about God’s Kingdom, and let us listen for the harmony that was directed by Jesus in Mark 7. 

我雖然知道如何彈琴，但從未接受過任何透過聽力來識別大調和小調的正式培訓。大調使用大調音階，聽起來明亮又喜樂。小調使用小調音階來產生更深沉、更悲傷的音樂。讓我們來看看耶穌在祂的時代是如何用大調和小調來創作這首音樂，以便來講述神的國度的故事，並讓我們聆聽耶穌在馬可福音第七章所指揮的合奏音樂。

God’s Story

The story about purification that we heard last Sunday tells us one thing: The Pharisees and the Scribes weren’t trained on listening to the different teachings between the commandments from God and the traditions made by humans. Jesus had to explain to them that evil is not a matter of food and drink but comes out of the heart of humankind that is fallen, corrupted, and defiled.

我們上主日有關潔淨禮儀的故事，告訴了我們一件事：法利賽人和文士沒有接受過聆聽的訓練，來區別上帝的誡命與人類訂下的傳統之間的不同教義。耶穌必須向他們解釋，邪惡不是飲食導致的問題，而是來自人類墮落、敗壞和玷污的心。

It appears clear to us that they weren’t ready to be in sync with Jesus’ teaching. They insisted playing the way they had been taught. Their ears were closed. Their faith story was composed in a minor key, which gave a darker and sadder sound. Since their instruments weren’t well-tuned with Jesus, God wisely inserted the two following healing stories for us to see how the harmonious music came about.

我們很清楚的看到，他們還沒有準備好要與耶穌的教導同步。他們堅持要按照他們被教導的方式來演奏。他們堵住了自已的耳朵。他們的信仰故事是用小調創作的，音樂顯得更加深沉和悲傷。由於他們沒有與耶穌做過同步的調音，上帝很明智地插入了以下這兩個治癒的故事，讓我們來看看這和諧的音樂是怎麼發展出來的。

Both healing stories in Mark 7:24-37 brought the music from a darker and sadder sound to a bright and happy melody. Though Jesus’ priority was leading the Jews to see that God’s kingdom had come, under the beseeching for the healing of a non-Jewish woman, Jesus granted the mother and her daughter to experience God’s kingdom. That is giving a new life to all.

《馬可福音》7:24-37 中的兩個治癒的故事，將音樂從深沉和悲傷轉變為明亮、喜樂的旋律。儘管耶穌的首要任務是帶領猶太人看見神的國度已經來臨，但在一位非猶太婦女的懇求醫治下，耶穌讓這對母女得以經歷神的國度。那就是為所有人帶來新的生命。

Then, the result of the second healing story indicated a great contrast. After Jesus said, “Be open!”, the deaf man with an impediment in his speech was healed. His ears were open and his tongue was released. He could hear well and speak plainly.  Both healing stories occurred not in the territories of Jews but Gentiles, Tyre and Sidon. God’s mission field had begun to expand, but the Jews weren’t ready and they closed their ears.

接著，第二個治癒故事的結果呈現出了巨大的反差。耶穌說：「打開吧！」之後，那個說話有障礙的聾子就痊癒了。他的耳朵立刻開了，舌頭也靈活了。他聽力恢復了，說話也清楚了。 這兩個治癒的故事並不是發生在猶太人的領土上，而是發生在外邦人的領土上、提爾和西頓。上帝的宣教範圍已經開始擴大，但猶太人還沒準備好，他們也聽不進去。

Conundrum

I’m honored to lead the weekly Bible Devotion for our elderly each week. In their lifetime, they have experienced countless ups and downs. Therefore, they are good listeners of the Word of God. Last week, as they were reflecting on Psalm 146, I truly heard the harmony from their speech. We confessed that we all still have so much to learn. We need to rebuild or be restored with Jesus’ teachings and his ministries over and over again in order to stay well-tuned as a community of faith. This means we need to stay in sync with Jesus as often as we can.

我很榮幸能夠每週帶領我們的年長者一起閱讀聖經做靈修。他們的一生，經歷了無數的風風雨雨。所以他們對神的話語，有認真的在聽。上週四，當他們反思詩篇146篇時，我確實從他們的分享中聽到了和諧的旋律。我們都承認。我們還有很多東西要學習。我們需要一次又一次地用耶穌的教導和祂的事工來重建或恢復我們自己，以便作為一個有同步調音過的信仰團體。這意味著我們需要盡可能地與耶穌保持同步。

How we tell the salvation story of God and how we demonstrate a redeemed life to others matter.  We need to keep our ears open as good listeners, not just as players in this ensemble to which we belong. From time to time, we hear the darker and sadder melody that tells stories of those who are struggling or lost; we also hear the bright and happy melody that tells stories of those who are experiencing God’s saving power. 

我們如何講述神的救贖故事以及如何向他人展示救贖的生命很重要。我們待在所屬的樂團中，我們需要保持我們聽的能力， 已便成為好的傾聽者，而不僅只是演奏者。我們不時會聽到更深沉、更悲傷的旋律，講述那些掙扎或失落的人的故事；我們也會聽到明亮而喜樂的旋律，講述那些正在經歷上帝拯救力量的人的故事。

What music is God composing right now to reflect what God’s Kingdom is about in our time? Are our ears open and are we listening attentively to the Word of God? And are we practicing the part that we are playing? And before that, are we well-tuned and in sync with Jesus?

在我們這個時代，上帝正在創作什麼音樂來反映神的國度的意義呢？我們是否豎起耳朵，專心聆聽神的話語呢？我們有練習我們被分配到要演奏的部分嗎？在此之前，我們是否與耶穌做過調音，並保持同步一起演奏呢？

Good News

The Word of God is our tuner. We tune ourselves through our daily Bible reading and devotion or having a regular Bible study. Then we gather weekly in worship to conduct our ensemble tuning and practice our listening in order to stay in sync with Jesus. After the worship, being sent out into this world with the power of the Holy Spirit, we play the magnificent harmonious music wherever we are during the week.

神的話語是我們的調音師。我們透過每天的聖經閱讀和靈修或定期的聖經學習來調整自己。然後我們每週聚集在一起敬拜的時候，便是進行合奏調音並練習聆聽，以便與耶穌保持同步。崇拜結束後，被聖靈的力量派遣到這個世界上，一週中無論身在何處，我們都會演奏這宏偉和諧的音樂。

What is the Gospel for us today? Our God is faithful and is in charge all the time as it’s stated in the second half of Psalm 146.  God defends the wronged and feeds the hungry. God frees prisoners, gives sight to the blind, and lifts up the fallen. God loves kind people, protects strangers, takes the side of orphans and widows, but makes short work of the wicked.

今日我們的福音是什麼呢？今日的好消息是: 我們的神是信實可靠的，並且永遠掌管一切，正如詩篇 146 篇後半部所陳述。祂為受壓制的人伸冤，賜食物給饑餓的人，使被囚者得自由。祂使盲人重見光明，扶持被重擔所壓的人。祂喜愛義人，保護寄居異地的人，扶持孤兒寡婦，但對惡人卻毫不留情。

The Gospel that Jesus brings to us and all is like music, a universal language. The Gospel, like music, has the power to transcend linguistic barriers.  It doesn’t matter if a person is an introvert, an ambivert, or an extrovert. The Gospel, like music, can evoke deep emotions in everyone. Lastly, the Gospel, like music, also can forge bonds among people who are from different cultural backgrounds. For all the above, let us listen for the harmony as we serve God, praise God and give thanks to Jesus, our Lord and Savior. 

耶穌帶給我們和所有人的福音就像音樂一樣，是一種通用的語言。福音就像音樂一樣，具有超越語言障礙的力量。 一個人是內向性格、中性人格、或是外向性格並不重要。福音就像音樂一樣，可以喚起每個人內心深處的情感。最後，福音就像音樂一樣，也可以在來自不同文化背景的人之間建立連結。為福音所能提供的一切，讓我們服侍主的同時，聆聽和諧的旋律，一起讚美神並感謝耶穌，我們的救主。

Amen. 阿們。